Across Italy · No.83 / 103
Arugula Pesto Pasta
Arugula Pesto Pasta
Fresh arugula, pine nuts and Grana form a vivid pesto for egg-rich tonnarelli.
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Meet the dish
A modern pesto pasta that highlights arugula's bitterness
Pulse thoroughly dried arugula with pine nuts, Grana, garlic, salt and oil. Arugula's peppery bitterness is the point, so avoid prolonged heat. Loosen the pesto with pasta water and toss square-cut egg tonnarelli for only a few seconds.
Pasta shapes to use
- tonnarelli
- spaghetti alla chitarra
Key ingredients
- arugula
- pine nuts
- Grana Padano
- garlic
- olive oil
Follow the cooking scenes
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Step 1: Dry the leaves
Wash arugula and remove surface water thoroughly.
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Step 2: Pulse briefly
Blend leaves, pine nuts, cheese, garlic and half the oil, then stream in the rest.
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Step 3: Boil the square-cut pasta
Cook tonnarelli al dente and reserve pasta water.
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Step 4: Toss for seconds
Loosen the pesto and coat the pasta very briefly.
What to watch for
- Water on the leaves dilutes the pesto and encourages oxidation.
- Blend in younger arugula if the leaves are very bitter.
What sets it apart
Where Genovese pesto is led by sweet basil, arugula pesto is defined by peppery, pleasantly bitter greens.